Method for loading filled egg flats into cartons



March 17, 1970 J. PAVlCK 3,500,608

mmnon FOR LOADING FILLED EGG mus INTO CARTONS Filed March 9, 1966 J air '5 YaYjYoY mmu y B H Y WMM Mammal;

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ATTORNEYS Jolm/ Paviah United States Patent US. C]. 5335 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An egg packaging fixture having a substantially flat base which is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending grooves. The base is also provided with an upstanding flange for registering an egg carton so that grooves in the egg carton are in registry with grooves in the fixture when the egg carton abuts the flange. The invention also includes a method of packaging egg cartons which includes providing a jig having a base with a flat surface, and being provided with rope guide means and abutment means, replacing a rope of suitable length in the guide means, placing six flats of eggs on the fixture, lifting the stack of flats by the rope and lowering the stack of flats into a carton and repeating the process for a second stack of flats.

This invention relates to packaging eggs for shipment and storage. More specifically, the invention relates to a fixture or jig used in connection with packaging flats of eggs in cartons. Further, the invention relates to a method of packaging flats of eggs in shipping cartons with the use of a'fixture or jig.

The usual practice in handling eggs in a modern egg farm includes a variety of steps and procedures. These procedures involve gathering eggs from the chickens nests, and placing the same in flats made of cardboard. Each flat normally is designed to hold thirty eggs, that is, five rows of six eggs in each row. These flats of thirty eggs are placed in a cooler for a period of time and the cooled eggs are then placed in cardboard cases or cartons containing thirty dozen eggs or twelve flats.

The cardboard cartons are designed to receive the twelve flats in two stacks of six flats resting inside the container with the two stacks side by side. The flats in which the eggs are placed are designed so that they may nest within one another when all of the flats are placed in the same direction and when rotated 90 they will stack one upon the other.

One procedure for filling a cartonwith twelve flats involves placing each of the individual flats in the carton separately. That is, the first flat is placed in one end of the carton and five flats are succeedingly stacked upon the first. A seventh flat is then placed in the carton resting next to the first flat. Five more flats are then individually placed on the seventh to complete the packaging of the carton. This method involves twelve separate operations and when filling a large number of cartons with flats can involve a substantial amount of time for the egg farmer.

Additionally, it is frequently diflicult to place the second stack of six flats in the carton because of the confined space in the carton after the first six flats have been placed therein. To help alleviate this problem two pairs of finger grooves are normally provided on the edges of the flats so that they may more easily be placed in the carton.

The thirty-dozen egg cartons are normally then shipped to distribution outlets where they may be packaged in the familiar one-dozen cartons. The empty flats may then be gathered and returned to the egg farmer so that they may be used again.

Objects of the invention, therefore, include the provision of a packaging jig or fixture which may be used to aid packaging of flats in a shipping carton, the provision of a new method of packaging the eggs in a shipping carton, the provision of an improved method of packaging which saves an egg farmer a substantial amount of time in packaging, and the provision of a new method of packaging eggs which does not involve the use of a great deal of expensive niachinery or equipment.

These and other objects may be obtained by constructions, steps and procedures which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and preferred embodiments of which illustrative of the best modes in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-are set forth in the following description and drawing, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

The nature of the discoveries and improvements of the present invention may be stated in general terms as including the steps of providing a jig having a base with a flat surface and having rope guide means and abutment means, placing a rope of suitable length in the guide means, placing a stack of six flats of eggs on the fixture, lifting the stack of six flats by the rope, and lowering the stack of six flats into a carton, removing the ropefrom the carton, replacing the rope in the guide means, placing a second stack of six flats on the fixture, lifting the second stack of flats with the rope, placing the second stack of flats in the carton and removing the rope from the carton, and closing the carton for shipment.

The apparatus of the present invention may be stated in general terms as including a jig or fixture preferably formed of sheet metal which includes a base portion which is flat and has formed therein a pair of longitudinally extending parallel grooves. An upstanding flange is formed and extends along one side of the base member and is parallel to the two grooves. The distance between the two grooves and the distance between the flange and one of the grooves is such that an egg flat, when placed on the base and abutting the upstanding flange, will have grooves in registration with the fixture grooves.

By way of example, the improved apparatus and methods are diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the various figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the fixture of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fixture shown in FIG. 1, having a flat of eggs and the rope placed therein as used in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the fixture of the present invention together with a stack of six flats of eggs and illustrating the step in the method of the present invention just prior to lifting the stack of six flats;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation showing a carton just after a stack of six flats of eggs has been lowered into the carton; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the fixture of the present invention.

The fixture of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a base portion 10 having formed therein a pair of parallel longitudinally extending grooves 11. The fixture also includes flange means 12 extending along one side of the base and being positioned parallel to grooves 11. Grooves 11 are spaced a suitable distance apart so that they are located for registration with grooves formed in the usual flats 13.

Flats 13 are of the type designed to accommodate thirty eggs. Such flats are formed to hold five rows of six eggs in each row, and include a series of egg cup holders 14 and upright post memberslS both of which are formed in base'portion 16. To give strength and'rigidity'to the flats 13, which are usually'constructed of cardboard, a series 6 f rib-like formations may be provided in base portion 1 As seen in FIG. 3 the flats are designed to stack one upon the other by rotating one flat 90 from the flat immediately preceding it in the stack. Thus, a series of flats may be stacked one upon the other by placing alternate flats at 90 to the preceding flat.

The usual thirty dozen cartons normally include two stacks of six flats to the stack. The two stacks areplaced in a carton side by side with a cardboard partition normally placed in between the two stacks to prevent lateral movement of the flats while in the carton during shipment.

As best seen in FIG. 2, grooves 11 are located for registration with grooves formed between the first and second'and fourth and fifth row of egg cup holders 14. Grooves 11 provide a guide means for a rope, the purposes of which will be described more in detail below.

A second embodiment of the fixture of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 5, and includes a box-like member having a base portion 20, a pair of upright sidewalls 21, a first endwall 22, and a second endwall 23. Endwall 22 is provided with a pair of V-like notches 24, and endwall 23 is provided with a corresponding pair of V-like notches 25. Notches 24 and 25 serve to provide rope guide means similar to the grooves 11 of the fixture shown in FIG. 1. The distance between the two grooves 24 and the distance between the two grooves 25 is equal to the distance between the grooves formed in the egg flats. Thus, a flat of eggs placed in the fixture will have two of the grooves formed between the two rows of egg cups in alignment with one of the pair of notches 24 and one of the pair of notches 25, and a second groove formed by two rows of the egg cups will be in alignment with the other notch 24 and the other notch 25.

To accomplish the purposes of the method of the present invention, either of the two pictures illustrated in the drawing may be used. The egg flats illustrated and described are the most common thirty egg type. Other forms of egg flats are, however, used in the industry. For example, flats which accommodate forty-eight eggs,'that'is, six rows of eight eggs to the row, are frequently used. Other sizes and shapes of egg flats are also used. It should be understood that the fixture of the present invention can be altered to accommodate the size and shape of egg flats used by the particular egg farmer.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the method involved in packaging flats of eggs in cartons may be accomplished by using either the fixture illustrated in FIG. 1 or the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5. In connection with this method a rope means 30 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 is used in connection with the fixture to place a stack of six flats of eggs within the interior of a carton 31. It is contemplated that such carton is designed to accommodate two stacks of six flats of eggs and has separating means 32 placed between the two stacks of six flats of eggs. Thus, in FIG. 4, a second stack of flats would be positioned adjacent to separating means 32.

In accordance with the present invention, the fixture means is placed upon a suitable support, not shown, at a suitable working level. A rope means 30 of suitable length is placed in one of grooves 11 and looped around the end of the fixture and the remaining portion of the rope is placed in the second groove 11. A stack of six flats of eggs is then placed on the fixture with one edge of the flat abutting flange means 12 as seen in FIG. 2. The packager then grasps the portion of the rope which has been looped around the end of the fixture and pulls suflicient rope through the groove to extend above the stack. He simultaneously grasps the two ends of the rope which extend through the other end of the fixture. At

this point in the procedure the operator may lift the stack of six flats of eggs from the fixture. This point in the procedure may be clearly seen in FIG. 3.

The packager then lifts the entire stack of eggs from the fixture by the rope and lowers the stack into the carton. The packager may then remove the rope by pulling the same from under the stack in the carton.

The method involved with using the fixture shown in FIG. 5 is very similar to the method involved with the fixture in FIG. 1. The box-like fixture shown in FIG. 5 is placed on a suitable support, not shown, at a suitable working level. A rope means may be placed in one of the notches 25 formed in end member 23 then in the notch 24 formed in end member 22 that is opposite the first of notches 25. The rope is then looped around the space between the two notches 24 and into the second of notches 24 formed in end member 22. The rope is continued back through the fixture member 20 to the second of notches 25. A stack of egg flats is then placed in the fixture and will have two of the grooves formed'by the rows of egg cups aligned with the rope which has been placed in the fixture notches.

The packager may then grasp the portion of the rope which has been looped and pull suflicient rope to a point above the flat stack. At the same time the packager may grasp the two ends of the rope which extend through the other end of the fixture in notches 25. He may then lift the stack of egg flats from the fixture and transfer the stack to a carton which is to be filled with two stacks of egg flats. After transferring the stack of flats to the carton he may then lower the stack into the carton. The rope may then be pulled by holding the looped end and pulling the same through with the two loose ends sliding down the side of the carton and through the grooves until the rope is free from the carton. To fill a carton with two stacks of flats the packager may return the rope to the fixture and repeat the procedure.

By using the method and fixture described an egg farmer may conveniently and quickly package eggs in shipping cartons. Furthermore, the egg farmer may package these cartons without using equipment which must be left within the egg carton during shipment.

Further, the egg farmer may package a complete carton containing thirty dozen eggs in the shipping container in about one-sixth the amount of time necessary to previously package eggs when using the old method of inserting flats individually. Further, the egg flats which are normally constructed of cardboard will have a longer useful life and they will be subjected to much less wear than is involved using the standard old procedures.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a new and useful method of packaging eggs in shipping containers without using expensive machinery or equipment, and which provides a method for packaging eggs which saves a substantial amount of time. Furthermore, the present invention provides a new and useful packaging jig or fixture which may be used in association with the foregoing method.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact structure shown nor methods described because sizes and shapes of the various parts and components may be varied to provide other structural embodiments and procedural steps without departing from the fundamental principles of the invention.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the construction, operation and use of preferred forms thereof, and the new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful methods,

5 steps, procedures and constructions and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of packaging flats of eggs in shipping containers including the steps of providing elongated guide means for receiving rope means, placing rope means in the guide means, placing a stack of a plurality of individual egg flats on the guide means and above the rope means and with the rope means alignedwith grooves in the lowermost egg flat of the stack, raising the rope means from the guide means to engage the lowermostiegg flat in the aligned grooves, lifting the stack of egg flats from the guide means by the rope means, transferring the stack of egg flats to a shipping container, lowering the stack of egg flats .into the shipping container by the rope means, and removing the rope means by pulling the rope means from the interior of the shipping container and from under the stack of egg flats.

2. The method of packaging flats of eggs in shipping containers as defined in claim 1, in which the step of placing rope means in guide means includes the steps of placing one; portion of the rope means in one of the guide means, looping the rope around the end of the guide means and returning the rope and placing the remaining portion of the rope in a second of the guide means,

3. The method of packaging flats of eggs in shipping containers as defined in claim 1 including the further steps of returning the rope means to the guide means and placing the rope means in the guide means, placing a second stack of egg'lflats on the guide means and above the rope means and with the rope means aligned with grooves in the lowermost egg flats of the stack, lifting the second stack of egg flats from the guide means by the rope means, transferring the second stack of egg flats to a shipping container, lowering the stack of egg flats into the shipping container by the rope means, and removing the rope means by pulling from the shipping container and from under the stack of egg flats.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 131,509 9/ Dilley 214-44 1,882,524 10/1932 Sherman 99-177 2,191,061 2/1940 Potts 53255 3,119,160 H1964 Hoppeler 29474 X FOREIGN PATENTS 546,359 9'/ 1957 Canada.

TRAVIS S. McGEI-lEE, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53-390 

